Tim Lincecum on feeling good after his last exhibition start, giving up another Cespedes HR, and his 10.57 spring ERA

Tim Lincecum threw 81 pitches tonight in 4 2/3 innings at AT&T Park vs. the A’s–looked strong with a fastball in the 91-92-mph range in the first two innings, then not-so-strong with an 89-90-mph fastball in the third, fourth and fifth.

It was Lincecum’s fifth and final exhibition start and the 5 earned runs (two of which scored when Jeremy Affeldt gave up a 3-run shot to Josh Reddick), and raised his spring era to 10.57 ERA.

Lincecum also gave up a long, long towering home run to Yoenis Cespedes–who also blasted Lincecum in Arizona last week–on a high change-up that was left high and over the plate.

By the way, Lincecum, like most proud pitchers, felt no need to give Cespedes extra credit for blasting him twice in two starts.

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Interesting: Several times Lincecum said he was pretty much throwing whatever Buster Posey called, and having confidence in that.

I think it’s definitely a goal for the two extremely high-profile player to feel comfortable with each other, whether Bruce Bochy ends up matching them up often in the season or not.

-LINCECUM: Yeah, the ball had some good movement on it. I missed some spots there–Cespedes. But all in all, things were coming out of the hand well. A little bit of tough luck there, but hopefully that’ll change in the season.

-Q: The pitch to Cespedes was a fastball?

-LINCECUM: No, it was a change-up. Yeah, just kinda hung there.

-Q: Your splitter seemed sharp.

-LINCECUM: I think I started to get kind of change-up happy there at some points, got away from my fastball. Once I started utilizing my pitches a little bit more, maintaining that fastball and establishing strikes with it, then it’ll help my other pitches.

-Q: You threw 20 of 24 pitches for strikes in the first two innings. Was that just a matter of pounding the zone with your fastball?

LINCECUM: I was just kind of throwing what Buster wanted to put up there, whether it was a fastball or curveball, I was just kind of sitting there with the same conviction every pitch.

-Q: Bochy said before the game that your big thing would be to repeat your delivery. Did you think you were doing that tonight?

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-LINCECUM: Yeah, definitely. Lasted throughout the fifth inning, felt good getting my pitch-count up. I sustained. I didn’t feel like I got too tired out there.

-Q: What do you think of your entire spring?

-LINCECUM: I wish I would’ve gotten out there a little more, but I think we’re at the point where you kind of put that to the wayside and know that you’ve just got to compete out there and get outs. That’s all that matters.

-Q: Do you feel like you’re ready?

-LINCECUM: Yeah, I feel like my stuff’s there. I definitely have confidence in all of it. Today was just getting back on track and getting out there on the field and obviously being here at AT&T Park kind of livens the mood a little bit. Getting back in that real game atmosphere again.

-Q: Is the feel on the change-up one of the last things to come around?

-LINCECUM: No, actually it’s been one of the ones that comes first, usually. As long as I finish it and get out in front of the ball, it does what I would like it to do.

-Q: Does a spring ERA mean anything?

-LINCECUM: Uhh, you want to take something from it, but you don’t want to take everything just because you were down in Arizona the whole time, it’s a different kind of game and guys are trying different things. You take that out of it.

But you still have to compete and you still want to throw better numbers up there than I did. But like I said, I’m going to put that behind me and move on to the season.

-Q: How good is Cespedes?

-LINCECUM: Uh, well… uh, he just made two bad pitches look like home runs. I mean, that’s what they’re supposed to do up here.

-Q: Did you approach him the same way as you did in your last start against him in Arizona?

-LINCECUM: I think you go obviously with what Buster’s going to put down there. And the pitch plan is to keep the ball down and elevate late and I left a change-up middle. So…

-Q: What did you think of the defensive plays Crawford made behind you?

-LINCECUM: It’s definitely an asset to have a guy like that, as athletic as he is, and has the range that he does, especially with the arm. He’s just having fun out there, makes it fun to watch and be a part of.

-Q: How much does being back here kick the adrenaline up?

-LINCECUM: It does a lot, especially when they started reading off the roster of the team and hearing the fans get behind each player. It’s nice.

-Sabean and Bochy got extensions today–did guys know about that?

-LINCECUM: I didn’t hear that up ’til now… It’s all good stuff, eh?

-Q: Tom Milone looked like he can hit a bit.

-LINCECUM: He did pretty good in spring, too off me. He’s got a pretty good swing, I guess from what I’ve seen. Good thing he’s in the AL.

I have zero confidence in Tim this year. Good thing the kids in AAA showed well in sp. hope he proves me wrong..

Qtlaw88

Timmy got breakin ball crazy last 3 inns.

Fire-Bob-Fitzgerald

I love Timmy. I strongly believe he will wind up closer – sooner or later. For him, right now, that is unthinkable. He turned down 5-years, $20M per year from the Giants. No team will make him an offer that good again – including the Giants. I hope I’m wrong, but we should enjoy Timmy in his final year as an SFGiant.

Leonard Bonilla

I’ll hold judgement of Timmy until the end of his 5th start. I don’t feel good about how he will fair in L.A.

miguel

I feel good about the Giants chances against whom ever is pitching the 3rd game for the Dodgers. I can understand the anxiety surrounding Lincecum. We have no choice but to watch and see how it plays itself out.